Owners: Mr. Saunders, owner at the time of the incident.
Possibly E.J. Chisholm from Oakville owned her.

Home Port: Milwaukee, WI

Service History

The Coquette was built in 1858 as a two masted schooner. The rigging was changed in 1860 to a sloop. This vessel was sometimes confused with the Canadian Coquette which was built in 1857, also a two masted schooner but somewhat larger.

October 1858: Struck a shoal a couple of times and sank, but was recovered.

July 1859: U.S. Goverment purchased her for Lake Survey.

1860: Rigging changed.

1864: Wrecked on Rock Island, Green Bay, Wisconsin.

December 1865: Rebuilt.

May 1866: Sold by U.S. Government. Enrolled with the registration number 5057 as a merchant vessel.

1866: Last Document Of Enrollment Surrendered: Milwaukee: 6/2/66.

Final Voyage

"Capsized. The sch. Coquette, off Waukegan capsized on Tuesday night July 17th. Capt. Patrick Lee, the mate Robert Scott, and two of the crew were drowned... The Coquette was owned by Nat. Sanders of Menominee, she was formerly a government vessel, and went ashore on Rock Island last season. Mr. Sanders purchased her, got her off and fitted her out and had just commenced business with her. She was on her way out of Chicago, for a load, being light except for a little pig iron for ballasts. The squall from the North East struck her broadside and rolled her over without a stitch of canvas spread...about daylight the watch from the schooner Falcon heard a cry nearby; immediately hove to, lowered her yawl and went in search of the sufferers;...they found Mr. Sanders and the man with him, in a perishing condition, and recovered them from a watery grave." Door County Advocate 7/26/1866, page 1.